SURAH AL-QURAYSH

Interpretation

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

1.For favor of concord and security to the Quraysh,

2.Their concord and security in their winter and summer journeys,

3.Let them worship the Lord of this House,

4.Who has provided them with food against hunger, and made them safe from fear.

Surah al-Quraysh is also known as “Li-ilafi Quraysh.” This surah was revealed in Mecca and comprises of four verses. The surah was given this title because it mentions the Quraysh in the first verse. It is closely related to the topic of the previous Surah al-Fil, and is virtually a continuation of this surah. It reveals the blessings granted to the Quraysh for protecting the Ka’ba.

The Reason for Its Revelation

When we take into consideration the favor of Allah regarding what happened in Mecca and the Ka’ba due to the attempted attack by the army of the elephants, although they should have been the first to accept the Prophet’s call to the unification of Allah, the Quraysh persisted in polytheism, and their attempts of defiance and resistance was the reason for the revelation of this surah.

Commentary

1.    “For favor of concord and security to the Quraysh.”

“Ilaf” means accustomedness and familiarity. Because Allah granted the Quraysh ease in their trade expeditions to the Yemen during the winter, and Syria in the summer months to which they had become accustomed, it was their duty to worship Him.

According to some interpreters of the Qur’an, the meaning of “Liilafi Quraysh” is to express amazement. In other words, when they were spread throughout the region, Allah gathered them together, and by securing the trade expeditions as a custom in their lives, He deemed this their means of wealth. But now they were ignoring their duty of worshipping Allah.

Whereas, leave the innumerous blessings granted to the Quraysh, being able to perform the trade expeditions safely by the favor of Allah alone was a huge blessing, so even for the sake of this alone it was their duty to worship and display gratitude to the Creator.

2.“Their concord and security in their winter and summer journeys.”

Allah accustomed them to the winter and summer journeys (travelling to the Yemen in the winter and Damascus in the summer).

“Rihlat” means journey, expedition. The Quraysh would travel to the Yemen to trade in the winter and to Basra and Damascus during the summer. Likewise, they would also migrate to Taif during the summer months for trade or other reasons, and to Mecca in the winter. Even if the Quraysh were incapable of displaying gratitude and respect to Allah for the other blessings, they should at least gratify Him for the favor of this custom thus:

3.“Let them worship the Lord of this House.”

In other words, so they abstain from rejecting the noble Prophet’s call to faith and acknowledge the truth, abandon polytheism and rebelliousness, and worship the Lord of the Bayt al-Atiq (the Ancient House) that was protected by Allah from the army of the elephants, and perform worship and servitude in accordance with His command. Servitude and worship is performed facing towards the Ka’ba, not to the actual structure, but to the Lord of that sacred house. Unfortunately, some believers show more respect and regard to the structure of the Ka’ba than they show to its Lord, the Prophet and the Qur’an.

4.“Who has provided them with food against hunger, and made them safe from fear..”

This is the fear dispelled by the army of the elephants. In addition, as revealed in the Qur’an “Do they not consider that We have established (Mecca) a secure sanctuary while people are ravaged all around them?” (al-Ankabut 29:67) while they lived amidst violence and evil, the Quraysh not only found security in the in the city of Mecca which surrounded the Ka’ba, but also travelled safely on their frequent trade expeditions which was the result of the supplication of their grandfather, Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him. He supplicated “My Lord! Make this a land of security” (al-Baqarah 2:126). Again, he prayed, “…and provide them with the produce of the earth” (Ibra- him 14:37). Therefore, was it not the duty of the Quraysh to worship the Lord who granted them sustenance and security?

Indeed, the Lord saved you (the Quraysh) from fearing safety which nobody was ensured in Arabia. During that period, the people were not able to sleep in safety anywhere in Arabia. They lived in constant fear and under threat of attack. Nobody had the courage to leave the boundaries of their own tribes, because when a person went out alone, it was virtually impossible for them to return safely, they were either killed or captured and subjected to slavery. No caravan was safe, as they were continuously exposed to being ambushed on the journey, their possessions could be seized at any time. Giving bribes to the leaders of the tribes on the route was the only means of continuing the journey in safety. However, the Quraysh of Mecca were totally secure from any danger. There was no threat of them being attacked, and there was no fear or danger of the enemy invading Mecca. The Quraysh travelled throughout the land in large or small groups freely. Due to the Quraysh’s title of being the keepers of the Ka’ba, nobody would attempt to harm or dare to challenge them. In fact, if one of the Quraysh were attacked while travelling alone, saying “I am a keeper of the Ka’ba” or “I am from Allah’s sanctuary” was sufficient in securing their safety. Upon hearing this, the assailant would end the attack immediately. Because the tribes that lived on the Arabian Peninsula not only respected the House of Allah, but also the Meccans who lived in its vicinity: they referred to them as “The neighbors of the House of Allah, the habitants of Allah’s sanctuary, the keepers of the Ka’ba and the people of Allah.” So the leaders of a society who earn the respect of the Arabs living both within and outside the Hijaz region opposed the Prophet because they believed that his call to faith and unification would damage their own interests, and could possibly be a threat to them personally. In this surah, it commands them not to defy unification this call conveys, but to accept this call and worship the Lord of the Ka’ba who bestows these blessings.

 

Akgul, Muhittin. Tafsir: An Introduction to Qur’anic Exegesis. Tughra Books Press, Inc. 2013